Simulacra
by D0ubleFelix
Summary: Lucas and Ness are fortunate to be in a comatose, because patients in such a situation are allowed into a virtual simulation suited to everything they could've ever wanted. Magicant is your friend, it knows you more than you know yourself. Magicant will grant your dreams. But oh, you can't have any dreams without a nightmare now and then. How long have you been here again, Ness?


Everyone knows how boys are.

Lucas was quite the golden boy himself. It was no lie that Lucas was certainly a very respectable young person. Lord knows he would stop in the middle of a snow storm to help fix a tire, or he would always find something to compliment about everybody. He embraced his femininity often, casually displaying it as a part of himself rather than a token personality trait. He was the type who hugged his mother, smiled at passing strangers, and saw the world with rose coloured lenses. He bit the erasers of pencils he used. He meowed back at cats who crossed his path. He sang along to the radio when he was alone in the house by himself. He had more freckles on the left side of his face than the right. He laughed at jokes others wouldn't find funny in the slightest. He was the pinball champion of the bar he and his brother would frequent. He always signed his name at the right corner of the paper, and always put a little heart above it. Lucas was just such a little angel, everyone wanted to pick him up and take him home.

However, again, Lucas was still a teenage boy.

That being said, he wanted what most teenagers wanted; to prove himself. Being nineteen years old and fresh out of high school, Lucas knew exactly what he wanted to do. Step 1, get accepted into a college dance program and be the most hardworking, punctual student ever. Step 2, meet that special someone and eventually confess feelings while looking at a view of the city in the rain (and probably kiss them afterwards, thus achieving Step 2.1, 'have first kiss'). Step 3, become a famous dancer who makes such a big impression, Fred Astaire himself would be left trembling in both awe and envy. That was the checklist, and Lucas was prepared to cross off every box there was. With a skip in his step and a fire in his soul, he would grab the 'scary real world' by the neck and shake it like a dog.

But somewhere Lucas forgot to add a very crucial box to his checklist.

Not once did he chart down the step right before Step 1: "Get hit by a car and get hospitalized with life threatening injuries".

It was a news story that shook the community. 1:30 AM on June 14th, year 2204, nineteen year old Lucas Rydell was struck by an out of control vehicle. The driver was let out of the hospital with minor wounds, but Mr. Rydell was quickly treated for a skull fracture and various head trauma, internal bleeding, a broken arm, a dislocated shoulder, and several lacerations. Thankfully, the young man survived the incident, but the lord works in cruel, fascinating ways. Upon being admitted to the hospital, it was discovered that Lucas wasn't waking up as quickly as he should've been. Upon doing a thorough physical examination and seeing that his pupils weren't reacting to light, it was determined that the poor child had fallen into a deep, deep sleep. The golden boy of a small town, precious, good little Christian boy Lucas, was in a comatose.

"Oh, lord, save his soul! Dear Jaysus!" Cried the women, throwing their heads back in despair and crossing themselves.

"What a cryin' shame." Whispered their husbands, taking off their hats in respect.

Beside the blond's hospital bed stood his mother, his father, and his twin brother. The trio sadly gazed down at the sleeping boy, who was being kept alive only by a ventilator, a few IVs that did who knows what, and Lucas' own strength and passion. Hinawa blamed herself; she was the one who told him to go buy some butter from the store so late at night. Flint blamed himself too; he was the one who decided to make his signature 'Pie Crust at 2 in The Morning' that just wouldn't be the same without 'good ol' unsalted butter'. Claus blamed himself most of all; he was the one who used up all the butter in the first place to make sure his toast wasn't tasteless and boring. A sad scene it was, for the grieving family members to be standing over their unresponsive remaining quarter to their fraction. But thankfully, their faces did not display saddened expression one would expect. Instead, there was a slight, hopeful smile.

This was because they knew that deep within Lucas' mind, he was awake. Not only was he awake and aware, he was living in a world that wasn't visible to those living around him.

So until Lucas woke up, at least everyone could be comforted knowing that he was happy.

At least he had the simulation.

* * *

The first thing Lucas' sensed was a smell that resembled laundry detergent. It was cold. He was lying down, and his entire body felt numb. His head felt like endless bars of TV static. He slowly let his eyes flutter open, wincing at the slight sting from the bright lights above him. His vision was fuzzy and doubled. He struggled to turn his head to try and look around, but his sore, weak neck simply wasn't having it. So Lucas just laid there, staring up at the ceiling in a confused trance. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember a single god forsaken thing about anything that had happened in the past hour. Lucas could hear noises nearby, but he couldn't quite process what they were. His heart began to pound; what the hell was happening?

Suddenly, Lucas heard a beeping noise.

' _Patient is awake. Please remain calm as we finish your transportation._ '

He tensed slightly at the uncanny, robotic voice that seemed to come from every corner of the room. He tried again to look around, but his weak neck simply wasn't having it. The bright lights above him faded into darkness. Lucas felt the world around him change and shift as he began to realize what was happening. Memories from hours ago began to flood back. He could remember the sound of wheels screeching and metal clashing. He remembered the flash of headlights blinding his vision before everything had gone black. Lucas squeezed his eyes shut with discomfort as his body began to feel numb and flushed. As the dizziness increased, he struggled to take deep breaths. Lucas felt like he was about to pass out, but of course, he knew that was impossible here.

With a loud gasp and a cold sweat, Lucas sat up. As he heaved in and out to catch his breath, his vision adjusted, and he began to become aware with his surroundings. He was in a dark room. To his left, there was a desk all set up with a lamp, and beside that, a closet. To his right, there was a large window with the curtains drawn. Lucas found that he was atop a large, low standing bed. The sheets were in a tangle from his thrashing. He swallowed to try and ease the dryness in his throat, as he quickly made sense of where he was.

' _...I'm in Magicant..._ ' Lucas thought, threading his fingers through his hair. ' _Was I really hit_ that _hard by that car?_ '

He slipped his legs over the side of the bed and let his soles touch the cold wooden floor. He was still wearing the same clothes as he remembered, being only a pair of ripped jeans and a casual patterned shirt. He could hear the muffled sounds of people talking and cars passing by outside. He stared down at the floor and bit his lip nervously.

' _Shit, how are mom and dad gonna react?_ ' Lucas furrowed his brow, ' _And Claus. He'll have to find someone else to help him job hunt._ '

Lucas shakily stood up on unsteady legs and approached the window. He peeked through the gap in the curtains and saw a bustling town around him. The skies were dark and star filled, and the world around him was illuminated by car headlights, streetlamps, and countless neon signs from the short buildings. The streets were crowded with several people, all of whom were in the same situation as Lucas. They didn't seem troubled, however. Everyone seemed full of enthusiasm and energy, ready to enjoy the dark hours of the night. Lucas tipped his head to the side, intrigued. While he had always been a shy person, Lucas was always tempted by the idea of late night recreation. He'd never been able to experience such a thing back in his small hometown, where the only late spots were sports bars that were more suited for people like Claus. He set a hand on the window, heart beginning to race from the excitement outside.

' _...Who knows how long I'll be asleep?_ ' Lucas wondered.

He glanced down at his clothes. He frowned. Ew.

' _God, no. I can't go out in this. Forget it, Lucas._ ' He decided, turning back to the room.

However, his eye caught the closet door. He raised an eyebrow, feeling a prickling sensation in his palms. He bit his lip and glanced around, debating the idea.

' _Then again...if Magicant is really what everyone says it is..._ ' He slowly approached the closet and set a hand on the doorknob.

The lights of a car passed over the wall above him. Another group of excited chatters.

' _They wouldn't put a closet here for no reason. Ah, no! Don't get your hopes up, Lucas. It's not like they'd be able to know that your vision for a late night out would be a pair of high rise shorts and a cropped jean jacket, all complimented by a lime green ascot that goes with your eyes so perfectly-_ '

Lucas went still as he opened the door and he was greeted to a rack filled to each side with a rainbow of clothing. Lucas, slightly afraid of this, pawed through it.

' _Th-There's no way it knows my exact fashion taste,_ ' Lucas grit his teeth as he eyed each article, ' _Except that it totally does! Good lord, look at that halter top!_ '

He paused as he came across a certain piece; before him, on a single hanger, was a pair of high rise shorts, a cropped jean jacket, and a lime green ascot tied around the top. Lucas' heart dropped. This was it, he decided. All bets were off. He quickly shed his old clothing and tossed it carelessly behind him, not hesitating to don the newer outfit presented to him. Lucas excitedly looked down at himself, before getting a full view from the mirror hung on the door. He observed himself from the front, then the back. He popped one hip. He crossed his arms. He narrowed his eyes. He deserved to wear clothes like this. It was as if they were made for him. The stores around his home never sold stuff like this.

"Alright, Lucas..." He breathed. The sound of his own voice was startling, but exhilarating. "Where are you going tonight? You could wake up in ten years, or you could wake up tomorrow, for all you know. Better take this while it lasts."

The blond once again jogged to the window and threw the curtains open, bathing the room in a mix of different coloured lights. Upon exposing himself to the electrifying life outside, another rush of adrenaline went through him. He strained his neck to look around. Just nearby, he spotted a cinema. Cute, he thought, but not rousing enough. To his left, he saw a dance studio. This perked his interest, but he already danced enough in real life. Magicant was made to help someone escape from that. Lucas needed something that would give him a thrill. Something that his real world wouldn't give him. Something he needed to experience before he woke up and resumed his usual routine. After a few seconds of looking, he unknowingly followed an open roof car filled with several people his age. The vehicle parked in front of a certain building displaying a bright neon sign. The group of teenagers all entered the place, cheering the whole way. Lucas gripped the window pane.

' _A nightclub's not a bad idea._ ' He thought, ' _That place looks a million times better than that boring little shindig Claus drags me to._ '

That was the one. Lucas took off from the window and returned to the closet, putting on the first pair of sneakers he saw. After dressing himself up with a few minor accessories to catch eyes, his favourite being a pair of hot pink fingerless one-of-a-kind fishnet gloves, he threw open the door to the bedroom and entered his supposed apartment. He looked around in curiosity, growing more and more delighted by the second. This was a house he'd always wanted to live in. Sleek, shiny, modern, and stylish. So many years of a tired, dusty townhouse, and now this.

"Thank you, Magicant!" Lucas happily shouted, not caring if anyone had heard him. He quickly ran to the hipshelf near the door, where he spotted a folded card sitting upon it. Lucas quickly picked it up and flipped it open.

 _Dear patient; Welcome to Magicant! If you are reading this, it means your consciousness has successfully secured itself within this realm. Magicant is a perfect world for you to reside in while your real world body heals. Our advanced algorithms have charted down your interests and preferences using the chip implanted in your brain years ago when you were an infant, and we have done our best to provide a place that best suits your wishes. The patients around you are individuals who have the same desires, thus increasing your possibility of making social circles. We keep your best interest in mind. Remember; **no one** knows you better than Magicant._

"You said it." Lucas whispered to himself.

 _By living in Magicant during your comatose state, you reduce the chances of unfortunate side affects, such as forgetting how to walk or perform basic actions. Magicant keeps your mind awake and stimulated to prevent this from happening. We want to make your experience pleasurable and enjoyable._

"So smart."

 _That being said, this is a still simulation of the real world. Please abide by the usual laws one would. Upon breaking the law in any way, one may be charged with extra time added to their comatose. If you wish to leave Magicant and return to your life, you may make a payment using the alternative currency Magicant uses, called 'Saturns'. By making a payment of one million Saturns, you may purchase an exit ticket. Be weary, though. Your ticket is entered in a raffle, and only fifteen people are allowed out. Your ticket is a one time use, so if you wish to enter again, you must raise one million again. You can earn Saturns by taking part in employment options or signing up for community service._

"Jesus."

 _Magicant provides the basic essentials such as housing and nutrition free of charge. However, extra things, such as recreation, do charge. You have been provided with a payment card which contains 1,000 complimentary Saturns."_

"How sweet."

 _Please refrain from exposing your real world location to other patients. This could result in privacy issues and other problems. You have been provided with a cellular device that uses your real world number. However, upon waking up, the numbers you message or call in this world will disappear. If you have any questions, please contact the front desk._

"Don't tell people where I live. Got it."

 _And finally, remember to enjoy yourself. We here at Magicant care about your happiness. Our goal is for you to never want to wake up. We hope you love every second you spend here. Magicant is your friend, and it is your heaven. No one knows you better than Magicant._

Lucas set the card back onto the shelf and looked around again. This was it, he thought. This place knew exactly what he wanted. When he used to lie in bed and think about what he wanted after he graduated, this was what he saw. For just a moment, Lucas considered the possibility that he never wanted to wake up. But his attention was stolen by another reflection of a car's headlights, reminding him of what he was setting out to do in the first place. Lucas took one more glance around the apartment, sighed in satisfaction, took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, and eventually yanked open the front door and took off.

' _I could be waking up tomorrow for all I know,_ ' He thought as he raced down a hallway to reach a flight of stairs, ' _I'm taking in every minute of this._ '

* * *

If there was one place Lucas would move to without a second thought, it was California. And Magicant clearly knew this.

He exited the apartment building and stumbled into something straight out of a postcard. All around him, he saw neon tube signs and rows upon rows of palm trees. The air smelled like oranges and salt water, just like all the travel booklets had said it would. Lucas could see the shimmering of water just beyond a few sets of beach houses. The moon was bright alongside the stars. Lucas felt the warm summer wind brush against his skin. Around him were several other people who looked to be around his age. Understandable, he thought. Every teenager wanted to go to California. It was some sort of unspoken code. Lucas lifted his head and straightened his posture, before heading in the direction he'd seen the crowded bar.

It didn't take long to find it. As he approached, he saw several clusters of people near the entrance. All of them wore similar clothes. Lucas felt as if he fit in perfectly. These were all people who liked the same things as him, after all. These were patients who had the same desires. A few of the other people glanced at Lucas, either giving him a smile or a look of amusement at the clear newbie. As he neared the front door, he passed by a person leaning back against the wall by himself. The stranger had a cigarette perched between two fingers and a laid back expression. As Lucas passed, they made eye contact. The other boy looked him up and down and smirked, clearly interested in what he was seeing. Lucas' face flushed, and he quickly slipped through the door. Baby steps, he thought.

The first thought going through Lucas' head as he entered the nightclub was ' _Aw, I love this song!_ '

He was instantly met with a sea of frizzy haircuts and bright clothing. The entire place was filled to the brim with talking, music, and dancing that everyone knew was horrible, but they all did it anyways. The rush inside of Lucas began to grow. This is what he wanted. Two seconds of experiencing nightlife, and he was already hooked. He made his way to the sidelines to make sure he didn't get caught amoung the crowd. Near the back was a brightly lit section with several stools and a long table, which Lucas recognized as a bar. He'd never seen one like this; the one back home was simply a rickety table with a few chairs. Lucas considered the idea of buying a little somethin' somethin' for himself, but his rational thinking pushed the idea aside. Maybe after an hour or two, then he'd get crackin'.

Besides, he was much more drawn to the back corner of the dimly lit area. Several arcade machines were lined up across the wall, each blaring their own brightly coloured graphics and eye straining light. Lucas' eyes immediately locked on one particular machine, the only familiar thing in this entire place.

' _Sick! They've got a pinball machine!_ ' He thought, immediately rushing towards it.

The only high point of the bar back home was the single pinball machine they had. Lucas was the holder of the highest record in the entire city, as he'd been playing his entire life on Flint's old machine down in the basement. Everybody back home knew it, and no one ever dared to challenge him. His fingers were practically psychics themselves. If there was anything Lucas had to stand by, it was that he was pretty damn good at pinball. He ran his fingers over the side pedals, familiarizing himself with the feel. Feeling the need to indulge himself, he felt around his pocket for the credit card he'd been given.

' _After being hit by a car, I think I deserve to spend twenty five cents on the wizard's game._ ' He decided, swiping the card over the scanner and booting the machine up.

He smiled at the familiar sounds the machine made, before pulling back the ball lever and preparing his famous technique. After scanning every nook and cranny of the machine's surface, he steadied, aimed, and finally yanked his hand back, launching the poor metal marble into its maze. In an instant, Lucas was trapped. He couldn't help being so good at it. His eyes followed the ball expertly as it was thrown here and there. When it even dared to come near the bottom, Lucas would unleash the wrath of the pedals and his rapid fire instincts, ramming the ball back into the mess of buttons and dials. He was so entranced by what he was doing, Lucas had barely realized that there was someone else with a pinball craving, and that someone had been waiting in the general area for about five minutes.

Lucas had almost snapped out of his trance when a hand entered his vision. The person beside him rested a single quarter on the sidebar. Lucas noticed this, but didn't sway.

"Dibs on next game." Said a voice from beside him.

"Yeah, alright, just one minute," Lucas absentmindedly replied, only halfway acknowledging them.

One minute turned to two, and two turned to four, and so on and so forth. Eventually, fifteen entire minutes went by, and Lucas was still pinging away, barely phased. He could feel the presence of someone standing behind him, still waiting. Lucas smirked to himself.

' _Heh. Better leave now, my longest game is 45 minutes. You won't be getting here anytime soon-_ '

Suddenly, the ball whizzed downwards unexpectedly. Lucas slammed his finger on the button, but he was just a hair short of catching it. He grasped the sides of the machine in utter despair.

" _No!_ " He cried, "Geez, bummer!"

The screen nearby displayed a list of names and scores. As he'd expected, Lucas was met with an option to add his own name to the list, as he'd beaten the previous record set. Admitting his defeat but still satisfied with beating whoever this was, he punched in his name and watched it appear at the very top. Lucas crossed his arms, proud of his work.

"Holy shit. That was somethin' else."

The voice of the other person startled him. Lucas jumped and turned around to meet their eyes. The other boy, who was around his height and a bit stockier, grinned and brushed some black hair out of his face. Luas immediately recognized him.

' _That's the guy I saw outside._ ' He thought, before pulling himself together and speaking aloud, "Uhh...yeah, well. Pinball _is_ my specialty."

"Looks like you made it to the top, huh? _'Lucas'?_ " The other person asked, leaning casually against the machine beside Lucas, who shrugged unapologetically.

"It would seem so." Lucas gestured to the name underneath his own, "Whoever this 'Ness' guy is, I'll admit that his 1,501 points is pretty impressive. But it's got nothin' on my 5,607."

"Mmhmm." The stranger nodded. He gave a small laugh, before clicking his teeth, "Well. God dammit, you beat my record."

Lucas suddenly froze and turned to him, eyes wide. The boy only looked back complacently. He looked casual enough, with his striped tee and red, unbuttoned over shirt. Lucas glanced back at the machine, then back at him.

" _...You're_ Ness?" He asked, suddenly regretting his gloating from earlier. He prayed to every god there was that this kid wouldn't decide a good use for him would be a punching bag.

"I _am_ Ness, thank you for noticing. Now the _ex_ champion of this pinball machine." Ness sighed, patting the top of the box. He rested against the machine, settling his chin on his arm, "I gotta say, that was some good flipping. You play a _bitchin'_ pinball, I tell you what."

"I grew up with this stuff. I'm the champion of my town." Lucas proudly replied, looking down at his fingernails.

" _Are_ you, now?" Ness asked, voice light and airy. He had the same look in his eye that he did outside. Lucas couldn't help but play with a bit of his hair and flash a sweet smile. He wondered if maybe this kid had stumbled across this particular machine on purpose.

"I wouldn't lie. Pinball is a _very serious topic_ , thank you very much." Lucas playfully replied, furrowing his brow.

"Right, of course, my bad." Ness held up his hands, "Alright, I'll bite. You're pretty good, but I could top it."

"Oh? You could top over 5,000?" Lucas asked, narrowing his eyes.

Ness only answered by taking his quarter off the glass and slipping it into the slot, before positioning himself before the machine. He pulled back the ball launcher, ready to shoot, but paused and spared a glance towards Lucas, who leaned against one of the other units.

"Y'know, if there's gonna be a challenge, we gotta have some outcomes. How 'bout this?" Ness suggested, "If I win, you buy me a drink. If you win, well, vice versa. Sound like a plan?"

Lucas blinked as he realized exactly what was going on. It wasn't every night he'd encounter a looker like this. He wasn't sure why his pinball skills made him so attractive, but he wasn't about to turn this down. Might as well, he thought. Hoping that the dim lights were enough to conceal the pink in his cheeks, Lucas sheepishly smirked and shrugged a bit, looking to the side.

"...I don't see the harm in it." He replied.

"Perfect. Game on."

With that, Ness rocketed the ball into action. Lucas watched as his new acquaintance began to mash away at the buttons with a focused glare in his eye. A minute passed, and he was still going at it. Lucas had to admit that the guys had skills. But alas, luck was not on Ness' side that night. The poor boy failed to react in time, and the ball fell away from sight between the pedals. He groaned in disappointment and laid against the glass, grabbing at his hair. Lucas stifled a snicker with his hand. Ness peeked back at him with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Hand cramp." He defended.

"Yeah, _or_ , you played a shitty game of pinball." Lucas teased. "Now, do I even have to play, or can we just skip to the drinking itself, assuming that I won?"

"You saw right through me, didn't you?" Ness asked, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah, alright. Let's go."

Lucas victoriously followed the defeated Ness back to the bar area, heart pounding. There was something about this boy that Lucas couldn't quite point out, but he couldn't find the will to care. Any chance to make a new friend in this place was a chance he'd take. He seated himself beside Ness, who leaned his cheek on his palm.

"Alright, what do you want?" He asked.

"I usually just go with typical vodka mix, I guess." Lucas suggested. Ness made a face and laughed a bit.

"Aw, dude, come _on._ Yawn. What are we, businessmen at a meeting? You're in _Magicant_ , shake it up a little!" Ness insisted.

"I'm not exactly someone who goes out often! _Sometimes_ I go with orange juice instead of cranberry." Lucas protested.

"Well, good heavens, aren't you just the gnarliest clubber of the bunch? Lemme guess, you take shots of _mineral water_ for a once in a while thrill? Gimme a break. Hush your mouth and let me take over, I'm ordering for you." Ness decided. He observed Lucas once again, "You know what you look like? You look like a Mojito person."

"I don't even know what that is." Lucas said.

"Oh, that's just painful." Ness winced teasingly, nodding at the nearby bartender, who'd heard their discussion and quickly set to work mixing the beverage. "Just trust me on this."

"Alright, I'll risk it. You're buying it anyways." Lucas said. Ness forced a fake laugh, once again leaning to the side and resting his face in his hand. He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut to get some relief from the harsh lighting.

"So. 'Lucas'." He began, "How long have you been in this neck of the woods?"

"Today's my first day, actually. I just got here, no more than an hour ago."

"Really! Very exciting! What got you bedridden, Pinball Blondie?"

' _...'Pinball Blondie'?'_ Lucas thought, ' _...Huh. Alright, I'll take it._ ' He spoke aloud, "Car crash. I was walking home and got hit head on." Lucas explained. Ness flinched and whistled.

"Yikes. That didn't kill you?" Ness asked.

"It's a medical mystery." Lucas replied, sighing, "How about you?"

"Also an accident. Someone really wanted taquitos and drove their car through the convenience store I worked at. Then it blew up. Funnily enough, it destroyed the taquito oven." Ness answered. "I was the lucky guy who got snagged by some shrapnel."

"...Peachy. How long ago was that?"

Ness hesitated, "...Two months."

Suddenly, Lucas was handed a tall glass over the counter from the bartender. Not expecting it, he quickly grabbed hold of it with two hands to keep anything from falling.

"O-Oh! Thank you!" He stammered, carefully setting the drink in front of him. He squinted down at the beverage, tipping his head to the side, "Why's it green? Are those leaves?"

Lucas was suddenly lightly hit in the face by something. He yelped and covered up, looking down to see a straw wrapper resting in his lap. He glanced up to see Ness unapologetically holding a straw in his mouth, showing no signs of regret having rocketed the wrapper at him by blowing. Ness took a moment to wipe the tip of the straw with his shirt to avoid cooties and poked it into the drink.

"Just taste it. If you don't like it, give it to me. I won't complain either way."

"...Eh, what the hell. It's Magicant." Lucas shrugged. He leaned over to take an experimental sip. Upon being greeted with a tart, sour taste, he furrowed his brow, impressed and pleasantly surprised, "Ooh."

"Yeah. Enjoy that." Ness proudly said, "So, seeing that you're here, I'm guessing you're a wannabe beach boy, huh?"

"What kid our age doesn't? I'd give an arm and a leg to move to Cali. Just imagining the sunshine, the palm trees, the ocean..." Lucas fantasized, gleefully stirring the straw around.

"I was like that too, once. Then I got here, and I got sick of it." Ness said. Lucas perked up.

"How could you get tired of this place? From what I've seen so far, it's a _dream_." He replied.

"Well, sure. But a guy could get tired of any place. Still," Ness settled his chin in his palm, a bit of black hair falling over his eyes, "It's kids like you that make it exciting every now and then."

Lucas blinked, before falling into a flustered mess and glancing downwards, playing with his gloves, "A-Aw, gee whiz..." He stammered. Lucas was somewhat nervous, as he'd never been so flirtatious with anyone before. One wrong word, and this undeniably cute boy would think ill of him. It had happened before, and the last thing Lucas wanted was to pass him up. He made the decision to do this right. ' _Don't screw this up, Lucas. This kid is flirting with a capital F. Show him your witty charm and boyish good looks._ '

And so, the hours passed. It was already past midnight, and the nightclub was still packed. Every second was filled with conversation between the two boys. Lucas would remember to twirl some hair around his finger or bat his eyelashes every so often, but that strategy soon faded as one drink turned to two, and that turned to three. Eventually, everything had grown fuzzy. Ness wasn't doing any better. The previously quiet conversation was now loud and full of laughter. With each minute going by, each boy was growing more and more charmed by the other. Every so often, Lucas would 'accidentally' let his fingers gently rest over top of Ness', or one arm would 'accidentally' brush the other. The tip of Ness' sneaker would 'accidentally' run over Lucas'.

For some odd reason, it was a particular song that prompted Lucas to perk his head up. He started tapping his finger, then his foot. Then, he started rolling his shoulders. It was something he couldn't help, having danced his entire life. Any chance he had to be funky, he would take it. Not usually in public places; this was something a sober Lucas would never even dream of doing. But at least now he had an excuse.

"I like this song!" Lucas excitedly exclaimed as he slid off the chair. He took Ness' hands, "Come on! I need a dance partner!"

"Alright, alright, hold on-!" Ness laughed and stumbled to follow him into the mass of people, "You're a _danseur_ , I take it?"

"Yep! You betcha! Took it for my whole life." Lucas replied having already begun enthusiastically moving along to the rhythm. Ness watched for a few moments, impressed by his coordination, before Lucas nudged his shoulder. "C'mon, Ness, you know you wanna."

"Okay, fine," Ness playfully sighed and gave into temptation, letting the beat control his body. He used any move he could think of from his dictionary. It had been a while, but to his relief, Lucas seemed pleased.

"You're pretty good!" Lucas said as the two of them fell into a synchronized kick slide. Ness smirked.

"You're not the only one who took dance their entire life." He replied. "Looks like you and I have quite a bit in common."

Lucas only smiled back, delighted by this. Eventually, their movements said the words for them. They seemed to predict what the other was going to do, as they managed to stay in sync with each move the other offered. Neither cared about how foolish they could've looked. Lucas, in particular, had never felt so free spirited in all his life. Heck to that dingy little shack back home, he thought. This is where he truly belonged. He deserved to be wild and carefree. He deserved to be washed with multicoloured lights. He deserved to be in the company of such a charming young man. Everything he was experiencing was something he deserved, because Magicant told him so.

Lucas couldn't have been happier to be in his slumber. He couldn't care less if he didn't wake up for years. Magicant knew him better than he knew himself, truly.

Magicant was his heaven. Magicant was his friend.

* * *

"Is it this one?"

"...Yeah...that one..."

Lucas, leaning against Ness for support, clumsily groped for his room key in his front pocket. He tried inserting it into the lock several times, eventually sighing and giving it to Ness.

"...Can you do it...?" He slurred, eyes half lidded and glazed over. Ness snickered.

"Yeah, I got it. Here," He quickly unlocked the door and helped Lucas stumble into the room, "Shoes off. There we go. Careful, careful, let's just lay you down over here."

Lucas let himself be led to the living room and gently placed on the couch. Not realizing how tired he was, he curled up into the crook of the chair and yawned. He glanced up at Ness and smiled, his head still swimming in a cloud of fuzziness. Ness smirked back, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Alright. Try not to go out _every_ night, 'kay?" Ness suggested.

"Mmhmm." Lucas nodded and buried his face in the pillow.

"I'm gonna go now."

"M'kay."

"Actually, you know what? Here, I'll get you some water," Ness said as he jogged over to the sleek, polished kitchen. He searched through a few cabinets before finding a glass. After a few moments of filling it up from the tap, he brought it back to the couch and set it on the coffee table. Lucas eyed it longingly, but was clearly too exhausted to pick it up. Ness playfully rolled his eyes and guided him by the shoulders to sit up. He handed the glass to Lucas, "Come on, even just a little bit. You're not helpless."

"I'm helpless for _someone._ " Lucas flirted, laughing at his own joke before carefully taking a sip.

"Yeah, yeah, alright, Casanova. Just wait until you remember saying that tomorrow morning." Ness replied as Lucas laid back down, "You need anything else?"

"Nah." Lucas murmured, his words muffled by the pillow.

"Okay, then I'm going home, yeah?" Ness alerted as he made his way back to the front door, "Thanks for hanging out with me, Lucas. You're a cool dude."

"And _yoooouuu_ are a very _cute_ dude!" Lucas cooed, bursting into another fit of giggles.

"Oh, stop it." Ness clicked his teeth, "Bye. Drink that water, okay? All of it."

"I will."

"Alright. I'm off. Bye, Pinball Blondie." Ness repeated, opening the front door.

"Bye-bye!" Lucas breathed.

When the door closed and Lucas was left alone, he simply laid there, happily fantasizing about all that had happened. He watched the ceiling patterns swirl and twist from his delusional state. He wished he could tell Claus about everything. He wished he could tell _everyone_ about everything. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Even though his was quite tired, his mind continued to race until he drifted off. And also his night was dreamless, considering he was technically already within a dream, it was still exciting. Because not even a few hours later, the sun would rise, and he'd be ready to do it all again.

* * *

"Eeeewww! Ew, ew, _ewewewewew_ , blegh!" Lucas spat, "Gross! Why did I think making this was a good idea?!"

Lucas angrily stood over an evil, evil toaster on the island table. The sun was bright, just as he liked it. The windows were open to let in the sea breeze and the sound of early morning hustle and bustle. Lucas held a piece of toast in his hand, which was nearly charred to the point of being inedible. He reluctantly chewed what remained in his mouth and swallowed with a grimace.

' _This is like the time I ate one of Mom's drawing charcoal pieces._ ' Lucas thought as he took another hesitant bite of the bitter abomination, ' _Except that tasted better than this crappy toast.'_

He tossed the burnt toast on the table and pouted.

' _Cure for a hangover, my ass._ ' He bent over the sink and began to rinse out his mouth with the tap water. His head felt a little better than earlier. The memories of the previous night were blurry at best. All Lucas could remember was loud music, loud talking, playing a kickass game of pinball, and meeting an absolute angel of a boy named 'Ned' or 'Neil', or something or other. As he squeezed his eyes shut against the headrush that came from lifted his head from the sink, he tried to reform the image of his new friend's face. He could remember black hair that he clearly didn't brush. Not to mention the eyebrows that he clearly payed no attention to either. ' _Not as bad as my eyebrows._ ' Lucas thought, noting his dark brown brows that didn't go with his platinum blond hair at all.

He had so many thoughts running through his head, it was almost overwhelming. He wished he had a journal or a notepad to write it all down on, but alas, there was nothing. As he went about the house, changing his clothes and making himself something actually edible, he talked to himself. He wished there was something to listen. Often times, he would pretend to be an online video persona, speaking to thousands of fans that didn't exist in a vlog that also didn't exist.

' _Magicant stories get a lot of views._ ' He thought. He paused in the middle of spreading butter over a bagel, '. _..I could do that._ '

Forgetting what he was doing for a while, he jogged to the bedroom and retrieved his phone.

' _I'll just record myself here, and request that the files get transferred to the real world._ ' He happily told himself, ' _And then, I'll post it! People can get money off of that kind of stuff, right? Maybe I'll be able to move away to the real, actual California._ '

He sat down on the couch and used a few boxes to prop up the cellphone until he could clearly see himself in the camera's view. He sat back, pausing for a moment.

"...What do I even say?" He asked himself. He debated for a while, before shrugging. "Eh. I'll just speak my mind."

He took several more minutes to fix his hair, then took several more minutes to spice up the background behind him by rearranging some of the art pieces on the walls. He also made sure to put on his fishnet gloves, because good _lord_ , those were cute. He then sat down on the middle cushion, making sure he was perfectly symmetrical. He leaned over to push the record button, but his finger waver just above it. What if he made a mistake, he thought? It was fine, he could just edit everything later. What if his clothing was a little too much? Who cares, he thought. If he was going to be famous, then he needed to stand out. But what if-

' _No! Stop freaking out and just do it! Go!_ ' Lucas quickly pushed the record button. The phone chimed, and the timer began to count.

For the first ten seconds, Lucas sat there, motionless. His mouth stayed open as he tried to think of something to say. Thousands of people would be watching this footage when he posted it. Be charming, he thought. Use that cute voice you always use to get what you want. The one that kinda makes you sound like a girl, but people really like it.

"H-Hey, everyone." Lucas said, "My name is L-" He stopped. He couldn't just say his real name, his mother always told him that saying your name on the internet was dangerous. But what could he even call himself? It had to be something new and creative. Something that people would recognize. Something wacky, but not too strange. Something like, "...Pinball Blondie."

Yeah, that was it. It was perfect. He continued.

"Just yesterday, I was hit by a car, and I ended up here." He explained, "It's...a little weird, knowing that I'm laying down in a hospital bed, completely unresponsive. I'm a little scared that people will start to look through my stuff or whatever. My brother is probably gonna use up all my glitter gel pens. I never let him borrow any of them. I, uh...kinda miss everyone, but I really like it here. See, I've always wanted to live in California. It's just always seemed so fun and wonderful, y'know? And now, I'm here! It's this cute little beach town, and I love it."

He shrugged his shoulders, smiling.

"Last night, I went to my first ever nightclub. First thing I went to was obviously the pinball machine. I think it should be kinda obvious that I really like pinball," Lucas snickered, "I ended up beating the record there. And get this; the guy whose record I beat? He was there. This kid was super cute, you guys. _Super_ cute. He bought me a drink. I think he was flirting? But I can't really remember. Everything got really funky really fast. I _may or may not_ have gotten a little...drunk. Sorry, mom...heh. All I remember after that was him helping me get home. He was such a sweetie. I can't wait to see him again. I really felt a spark, y'know? Like, I feel like he might... _like_ me."

He pondered for a few moments. Then, another thought entered his head.

"Wait," He said, "...Did I get his number?"

Another few seconds. Lucas suddenly let out a gasp of despair and put his face in his hands.

" _Noooo!_ Dammit!" He groaned, "I forgot to get his number! Shit, what if he wakes up and I never see him? _Ever?_ " He leaned back with a huff, "...Welp, I messed up. I totally missed my chance. Tch...what can you do, I guess? I shouldn't complain too much. I'm here, after all. I can see why some people purposefully ram their heads into walls just to get here."

He hugged a pillow to his chest.

"So...yeah. That's all I've got so far. I'm just a small little boy in a big, big world." He said, "If I don't wake up again tomorrow, then expect another update." He thought about those cool outros that people always did. He continued, "Uh...my name is Pinball Blondie, and this has been my...vlog...thing. See you all next time. B-Bye."

And with that, he pressed the record button one last time, and the video ended. He sighed in relief and leaned back in the couch. He'd edit it all later. It felt nice to spew out all the thoughts in his head to an invisible audience. It was a bit awkward, but he'd get better as he made more. It was like having a diary, but if you were reading your secrets to an auditorium filled with people. It was oddly calming.

"Well, that's done." Lucas stood up, satisfied. He headed back to the kitchen to finish breakfast. As he did so, he continued to mumble to himself, "I can't believe I forgot to ask for his number. I can't even remember half the things we talked about."

He froze, heart stopping.

"Oh god!" He cried out loud, "I called him _cute!_ Jesus, Lucas! Get yourself together, woman!" He hissed, whacking himself upside the head.

And so began his first morning in Magicant. Not even twenty four hours in, and he was already living a life he'd dreamed of living. He hadn't woken up yet, thank god. There was still so much more to take in.

' _But for now,_ ' He thought as he sat down on the couch and settled a little yellow plate in his lap, ' _I'm going to eat this delicious bagel. Yay me._ '

* * *

 **WOW OKAY UM**

 **So I got this idea when I wanted to make an AU where the dream world is a separate realm that people could interact through. That eventually escalated into this. I know it's a weird idea, but please bear with me on this.**

 **THIS WILL PROBABLY NOT GET ANOTHER CHAPTER UNTIL ICARUS IS DONE. But that story only has like 2 chapters left so :/. ALTRTM and At Your Service are fics that I will update gradually.**

 **NOTE: A lot of people think posting multiple fics at the same time is stressing me out; it's not! Having multiple projects to work on keeps me engaged and interested! If I don't feel lie writing one thing, I'll go and write for another. Don't worry about anything!**

 **Anywho sorry if this idea is weird; forgive me,,,,**


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